PROVIDENCE – The two nights that finished their season short of their ultimate goal may doesn’t diminish what Mark Andreozzi’s Clippers accomplished this winter.

Competing in Division I/Eccleston for the first time, Cumberland announced their presence with authority with their run to the state championship finals at Brown University’s Meehan Auditorium.

PROVIDENCE – The two nights that finished their season short of their ultimate goal may doesn’t diminish what Mark Andreozzi’s Clippers accomplished this winter.

Competing in Division I/Eccleston for the first time, Cumberland announced their presence with authority with their run to the state championship finals at Brown University’s Meehan Auditorium.

It was the conclusion of the Clippers’ impressive two-year run led by the same core of players – consecutive 20-win seasons, back-to-back division titles and a Division II championship last season.

The sting of dropping the finals to Burrillville may linger in the days and weeks ahead, but the overall trend is still nothing but positive for the Cumberland program.

“To have the two seasons we just had … yeah, you want the championship, but you have to applaud what our boys did,” said Andreozzi late Sunday night after his Clippers absorbed a season-ending 5-1 loss to the Broncos. “We moved up a division this year and got back to the finals, which is a feat in and of itself. I’m proud of the seniors and my younger guys who kept battling. It’s a learning experience and something you don’t want to feel, but you’ve got to remember the good times too.

“It’s not a failure for us to get back to (the championship round). The season we had is a positive and we can build off that,” added the Cumberland head coach.

Cumberland started Sunday’s Game 2 by spending the first several shifts in Burrillville’s zone. The Broncos had trouble clearing the puck and were unable to get fresh skaters on the ice, but the Clippers had nothing to show for their energetic beginning.

“We had momentum and some opportunities early and just didn’t capitalize,” said Andreozzi. “Give credit to Burrillville. They weathered the storm and started putting the puck in the net.”

Once Burrillville’s collection of skill players got rolling, Cumberland found itself in the unenviable position of playing from behind. Andreozzi said the 2-0 deficit after one period “placed us on our heels.” The Clippers got a power-play roughly four minutes after falling behind by three goals in the second period, but still couldn’t find the back of the net.

“When you get down, you try and try before running out of time,” Andreozzi said. “Obviously we wanted to finish and force a Game 3, but it’s not for a lack of effort.”

The Clippers were spared from back-to-back shutouts when junior Jake Salisbury scored on the man-advantage with 21.5 seconds remaining in the game.

The Broncos ultimately proved responsible for three of the five losses Cumberland suffered in 2014-15, turning the matchup on its head after the Clippers beat their cross-Valley foes in the first three games of the season. But in the final three, the Broncos prevailed by a combined 11-2 margin.

“I really don’t think they did anything that we weren’t expecting,” said Andreozzi. “We knew where they were going to be. We had kids coming on the bench saying ‘That’s my guy.’”

The Broncos sent a whopping 42 shots – 19 in the third period alone – in the direction of dependable senior goalie Leo Lake. Part of the reason why Burrillville generated so many chances was Cumberland’s increased risk-taking as they tried to get something going on offense.

“When you’re down 3-0 in the third, you’re not thinking ‘Hold the fort,’” said Andreozzi. “Part of (allowing that many shots) is their pressure, but when you have Leo back there … he’s been one of the best goalies in the state the past three years. When you leave him on an island, he’s not going to stop it no matter how good he is.

“Once you’re down, all you’re thinking about is get the puck in their zone and get as many shots as you can.”

As he stood in a hallway just outside his team’s dressing room, Andreozzi thanked a senior class responsible for much of the program’s success these past two seasons.

“Greg Wellington, Kyle McKenna, Tommy Malloy, Jack Wainwright and Leo Lake … Kyle and Tommy played as freshmen and so did Greg and Jack. Leo’s been a starter since he was a sophomore,” said Andreozzi. “It’s going to be tough shoes to fill and hopefully the returning guys learn from them.”

The good news is that the Clippers return some nice pieces, most notably Salisbury. One of Andreozzi’s assistant coaches imparted some advice to a Cumberland youngster who did not dress Sunday, basically telling him to make sure he gets in plenty of skating reps this summer.

“Our mindset is always to be competitive and make the playoffs and who knows what happens when we get there,” said Andreozzi. “Obviously being in this division, the games are harder. There are no nights off, but we’ll regroup and move on. We’ve got a whole summer to think about it.”

The Midwest Regional final was held at Quickens Loan Arena this year. The undefeated Kentucky Wildcats came in as heavy favorites to move on to the Final Four in Indianapolis. That didn’t stop Daxter Miles of West Virginia to proclaim that Kentucky will be 36-1 after the two teams meet Thursday night. That certainly did not happen. The Wildcats completely overwhelmed the Mountaineers and doubled them up 78-39. In the early game, Notre Dame topped Wichita State 81-70. This marked the first time the Irish have reached the Elite 8 since 1979.

Midwest Region

The Midwest Regional final was held at Quickens Loan Arena this year. The undefeated Kentucky Wildcats came in as heavy favorites to move on to the Final Four in Indianapolis. That didn’t stop Daxter Miles of West Virginia to proclaim that Kentucky will be 36-1 after the two teams meet Thursday night. That certainly did not happen. The Wildcats completely overwhelmed the Mountaineers and doubled them up 78-39. In the early game, Notre Dame topped Wichita State 81-70. This marked the first time the Irish have reached the Elite 8 since 1979.

In the Elite 8 match up Notre Dame gave Kentucky all they could handle. They actually led the game for a good portion of the second half. Kentucky had to hit its last 9 shots from the field and hold their breath as Andrew Harrison hit 2 free throws with 6 seconds left to pull off the win. Kentucky’s quest to become the first team in the last 39 years to go undefeated and become national champs is alive and well after being on life support against Notre Dame. Notre Dame’s Jerian Grant missed a 3 at the buzzer to secure the win for Kentucky. Unlike the SEC Championship game, Kentucky actually took time to cut down the nets to celebrate their Final Four berth in Cleveland.

West Region

Top seeded Wisconsin met up with the North Carolina Tarheels Thursday for a right to go to the Elite 8. Wisconsin used a 19-7 run down the stretch to come back and beat the Tarheels. They were led by Sam Dekker who had a career high 23 points to go along with 10 rebounds. The second game in Los Angeles matched Arizona up with Xavier for the right to meet Wisconsin in the Elite 8. Xavier proved to be worthy adversaries as they actually held a late 4 point lead, but they were gassed. They had given Arizona their best shot, but Arizona’s size and talent simply proved to be too much. Arizona also used a 19-7 run to end the game and get the win.

As everyone was expecting, Arizona and Wisconsin met in the Elite 8 for the second straight year. Last year Wisconsin upset Arizona on a game winning overtime 3 pointer to go to the Final 4. This year’s game was a bit more decisive. The first half saw Wisconsin facing a 3 point deficit. In the second half Wisconsin hit fire from the 3 point like. They hit 10 or their 13 3 point attempts and dispatched Arizona for the second straight year 85-78. Sam Dekker had another career high as he had 27 points in this game, including 5 second half 3 pointers. Wisconsin now will rematch with Kentucky in the Final Four, Kentucky won last year’s game on a buzzer beating 3 pointer.

East Region

Louisville and North Carolina State met Friday night for the right to go to the Elite 8. The conference foes have met once this year, with NC State winning. Louisville avenged the loss when it mattered most. Louisville came out in the second half and played with purpose. They turned a 2 point deficit into a 10 point win as the final score was 75-65. They were led by Montrezl Harrell who had a game high 24 points. On the bottom half of the region, we saw Michigan State meet Oklahoma. Michigan State was keyed by Denzel Valentine, who scored 13 of his 18 points in the second half and Travis Trice who scored 6 in the final 2 minutes to take down Oklahoma 62-58. They moved on to their 2nd consecutive Elite 8 to face Louisville.

Louisville and Michigan State needed more than regulation to settle the game. After 40 minutes the game was tied at 65 all. A Brandon Dawson put back dunk with under 30 seconds to go in the overtime clinched the victory for Michigan State. For a second consecutive year, a 7 seed will be in the Final Four. Last year, the 7th seeded UConn Huskies won it all. This also marks the 7th Final Four appearance for Michigan State coach Tom Izzo. Izzo’s only championship was in 2000.

South Region

The top seeded Duke Blue Devils met Utah in the round of 16. Justice Winslow was playing in his hometown of Houston a day after his 19th birthday and he did not disappoint. He had a monster 21 point 10 rebound performance while guiding Duke to a 63-57 victory. On the other side of the bracket we had Gonzaga meeting 11th seeded UCLA. Gonzaga’s size and strong guard play simply overwhelmed as they cruised to a 74-62 victory.

Gonzaga was looking to make its first Final Four appearance in school history, but the Duke Blue Devils had other plans. The game was close throughout, but Duke proved to be too strong down the stretch. The turning point in the game happened with less than 5 minutes remaining. With the score 53-51 Duke, Gonzaga’s Kyle Wiltjer got a pass down low and had a wide open lay up, but missed. Following that play, there seemed to be a lid on the basket for Gonzaga as Duke went on a 13-1 run to close the game. This will be Duke’s Coach K’s 12th final four appearance. This ties Coach K with John Wooden for most all time.

Final Four Look Ahead

Duke vs. Michigan State

Izzo and Coach K are two of the best coaches in college basketball history. We now will be treated with a Final Four matchup between the 2. Duke features Jahlil Okafor who is a big man with a feathery touch around the basket. Michigan States strength is the length of their guards and ability to interchange positions. As great of a run Michigan State has gone on, this Duke team is one of the most talented teams they will have faced all year. They actually faced off earlier this year at Duke, the Blue Devils took that contest 81-71. We expect to see more of the same this coming weekend. Then again, if you have read some of the earlier predictions, we have been wrong about everything in this tournament.

Kentucky vs. Wisconsin

The rematch of last year’s Final Four. Wisconsin’s team is basically the same roster, while Kentucky decided they would add 5 more McDonald’s All Americans to an already loaded squad. Last year Kentucky needed a last second 3 to advance to the championship game. We are picking Kentucky to win this game, but all bets are off if Sam Dekker continues his hot shooting from the field.

In the fall, Tupper served as a pass-catching extraordinaire on a Burrillville High football team that went on to achieve a perfect season that culminated with the Division IV Super Bowl. The change in seasons proved just as fruitful with Tupper on Sunday night at Brown University’s Meehan Auditorium finding himself part of a season-concluding celebration.

In the fall, Tupper served as a pass-catching extraordinaire on a Burrillville High football team that went on to achieve a perfect season that culminated with the Division IV Super Bowl. The change in seasons proved just as fruitful with Tupper on Sunday night at Brown University’s Meehan Auditorium finding himself part of a season-concluding celebration.

Tupper scored three goals as No. 2 seed Burrillville capped off a two-game sweep of the Division I/Eccleston Tournament with a 5-1 win over top seed Cumberland. It’s the first interscholastic title for the Broncos since winning the Division I-A crown in 2007-08 season.

Cumberland Boys' Hockey | TRUE BLUE: Clippers' senior core looks to go all the way one more timehttp://pawtuckettimes.com/content/cumberland-boys-hockey-true-blue-clippers-senior-core-looks-go-all-way-one-more-time2015-03-28T11:11:18-04:002015-03-28T11:28:50-04:00editor

CUMBERLAND – From instructional to peewees to interscholastic competition to ... possibly a second straight championship?

It’s been a long road for five senior members of the Cumberland High hockey program. They’ve savored every moment together and have called one another teammates for so long that it’s not a surprise to learn that they think of each other as extended family.

CUMBERLAND – From instructional to peewees to interscholastic competition to ... possibly a second straight championship?

It’s been a long road for five senior members of the Cumberland High hockey program. They’ve savored every moment together and have called one another teammates for so long that it’s not a surprise to learn that they think of each other as extended family.

“We’ve been on the ice together since we were able to walk,” said first-line forward Greg Wellington a few days before he along with fellow 12th graders Jack Wainwright, Tommy Malloy, Kyle McKenna and Leo Lake participate in the grand finale of their high school careers – the best-of-three Division I/Eccleston finals against Burrillville.

From their youth hockey days to learning the varsity ropes as precocious underclassmen, it’s a Clipper group that’s been intact for seemingly forever.

“You start from the bottom and work your way up, but we’ve worked together and as a family,” says Wellington. “We call each other our second family. We can lean and rely on each other. If something isn’t going our way, we can bring each other back up.”

It’s that closeness and familiarity that has helped put Cumberland in a position to be successful. Wainwright, Wellington, Malloy, McKenna and Lake all spent their formative years skating for the Woonsocket North Stars, which uses Adelard Arena as its home base. The same Woonsocket rink has also been the scene for many a triumph in a Cumberland sweater.

The final Adelard Arena chapter was authored last Friday night in a nail-biting 2-1 overtime win over Coventry that further illustrates the belief that there are very few situations that this Clipper core has yet to come across.

“Our senior class, there’s nothing we haven’t seen yet,” said McKenna, who is joined on the blue line by Malloy. “Overtime games, shootouts, 2-1 wins, 7-1 wins, championships, game threes coming back off a loss ...”

“The memories on the ice, you can’t change those,” said Lake, a three-year starter in goal.

Their long history together partly explains how Cumberland has been one of the premier boys’ hockey outfits the last few winters. They’ve won two straight regular-season division titles – going a combined 35-1 – and this weekend, they are making a second consecutive trip to the finals at Brown University’s Meehan Auditorium.

“We all know each other’s tendencies and that makes everything almost second nature,” said McKenna. “We don’t have to worry about looking up as much. You kind of know where the other person is going to be before they’re actually there.”

Added Wainwright, a forward, “We know each other so well and that just makes it so much easier for us.”

Looking back, the shifts that Wellington, Malloy, Wainwright and McKenna received as freshmen were partly out of necessity. The 2011-12 Clippers had undergone a substantial turnover from the previous season and also sustained injuries that created holes that needed to be filled.

Out of necessity, head coach Mark Andreozzi needed the services of the aforementioned ninth graders to round out the roster.

“You noticed when they started playing that they could develop into good players and they have,” said Andreozzi. “I knew them when they were boys. Now they’re mature young men.”

When it came time for Lake to assume the starting goaltending duties his sophomore year, he had what he described as a beneficial crutch that enabled him to grow more comfort- able with his demanding role. Call it a pleasant benefit to being on the ground floor of what has been a long-term, on-ice commitment.

“For a little while, I think I had more confidence in them than I did in myself. I wasn’t sure what I was up against, but all of my classmates knew exactly what they were doing,” Lake said. “I grew up with them so I kind of saw what they were doing and what they were becoming.” We have seen what

Cumberland is like in the heat of competition. What about away from the grind of practices and games? Do they go their separate ways with the promise of reconvening each afternoon at the arena?

When you’re a self-anointed band of hockey brothers, you do everything together.

“Even off the ice, I think we’re very compatible,” Lake said. “We joke, goof around and relax. We have good times but we also keep the same the mentality that got us to this point day-in and day-out.”

Besides the camaraderie aspect that can be attributed to many years of playing with one another – Andreozzi and his coaching staff should send a thank-you note to the North Stars organization – Cumberland’s Hockey Class of 2015 comes across as a grounded bunch. Part of that is due to the team- oriented belief system that Andreozzi swears by – “we talk about being in the wheelbarrow and doing everything together”

Yet as McKenna pointed out, the Clippers have been through so much over the course of their careers that adopting a tunnel-vision approach became second nature.

“They are able to break things down to the simplest form by saying, ‘Everything will get here. The championship round will get here, but you’ve got to put the work in first,’” said Andreozzi. “I know it’s cliché to say, but we don’t look back, good or bad. We only look to the next practice. That’s as much as a tribute to them as individuals as it is to our philosophy.”

When the subject turned to whether they can author a second consecutive storybook ending, the boys and their coach offered a wide-range of opinions. They might be gearing up for the task at hand, but both parties know that their time together is dwindling down to a precious few games.

“I would love to walk out of here with another championship with these boys,” said Malloy.

“I think that is every senior’s dream – to go out on top, but I don’t think they’re focused on history or going out a winner. They’re focused on the challenge,” said Andreozzi. “It’s been a honor to coach them for four years. They’re a special bunch.”

Clearly, it’s a bunch rooted in remaining together through thick and thin.

“Playing with the same group of guys throughout the years had made life a lot easier,” said Malloy.

Follow Brendan McGair on Twitter @BWMcGair03

PawSox | Field of memories: Ken Ryan’s connection to PawSox and McCoy are unlike any otherhttp://pawtuckettimes.com/content/pawsox-field-memories-ken-ryan%E2%80%99s-connection-pawsox-and-mccoy-are-unlike-any-other2015-03-27T16:12:21-04:002015-03-27T16:12:39-04:00editor

LINCOLN – Ken Ryan has enough McCoy Stadium memories to last a lifetime, or maybe 33. The former big-league pitcher has also stockpiled enough PawSox memorabilia that it’s easy to confuse his Higginson Ave. indoor baseball facility as a shrine that still carries much significance.

LINCOLN – Ken Ryan has enough McCoy Stadium memories to last a lifetime, or maybe 33. The former big-league pitcher has also stockpiled enough PawSox memorabilia that it’s easy to confuse his Higginson Ave. indoor baseball facility as a shrine that still carries much significance.

There’s framed pictures of McCoy hanging on the walls – youngsters can’t miss them as they put on a helmet and step inside the hitting cages. Jerseys from Ryan’s days as a member of the Pawtucket ball club are also visible, though the most unique item might reside in his office. It’s a stool with an old school PawSox logo on full display atop the seat cover.

The vast array of collectables and keepsakes help Ryan in remembering the PawSox just the way he always did. Such recollections … they are probably in heavy rotation these days after the new owners indicated that they plan to cease operations at McCoy Stadium sometime over the next few years.

“McCoy Stadium has always represented baseball and if you’re a baseball fan growing up in this area, to me it was always the Pawtucket Red Sox,” said Ryan while tending to customers. “That affiliation with Boston, that was so close to use and made it feel that the dream was right there. You could see it.

“If they leave, it will definitely be an era that’s difficult to replicate,” Ryan added. “When people heard about Pawtucket, Rhode Island, their first thought was the PawSox. There’s a lot of rich history in the city, but there’s no doubt that the PawSox are at the forefront of anything. It was the heartbeat of the city.”

Very few individuals from around these parts have the sort of all-encompassing connection that Ryan has with the PawSox. He grew up in Pawtucket and frequently visited his grandparents house on Columbus Ave.

“They literally lived two-tenths of a mile from McCoy,” Ryan said.

Part of Darlington American Little League, Ryan recalls making a bee line down Newport Ave. and toward McCoy once his games were done.

“We would get there right at game time or in the second inning,” he said. “It always seemed they were playing the Maine Guides every time I went there.”

Ryan’s fan-viewing experience coincided with the passing through of notables such as Wade Boggs, Bruce Hurst, Rich Gedman and Marty Barrett. Even when his family moved to the north end of Seekonk, Ryan had no problem viewing when fireworks were shot off at the venerable establishment.

“As a kid, McCoy was a place to go with your family and just enjoy a great night and your dreams – like all kids do – of playing professional baseball,” Ryan said.

A high-school graduate when he signed with the Red Sox in 1986, Ryan would frequently pass by McCoy during the winter months. Looking at a stadium in its quiet state provided him with all sorts of motivation as he climbed through the minor-league ranks.

“God, to ever play in Triple-A …” said Ryan. “And then to finally get there was like … it was incredible.”

Ryan reached Pawtucket in 1992 as a 23-year-old. The homecoming was short and sweet, a nine-game cameo where he won two of the nine games he appeared in before getting summoned to Boston. Appearances with the PawSox would follow in 1993 and 1995 with return trips to McCoy coming as a reliever with Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Columbus.

As a native son, Ryan made sure to educate his Class AAA teammates on the proper way of pronouncing Pawtucket.

“We would be down in spring training and they would say ‘Paw-tucket’. When they finally got here, they realized they were calling it by the wrong name,” he said.

His service time in the International League provided Ryan was a firsthand look at a movement where franchises wanted to have their stadiums located in major metropolitan areas. It’s a blueprint that the new ownership group has gone on the record in emulating.

“I look at all the other Triple-A stadiums I’ve been to. Rochester, Syracuse and Durham are right in the middle of the city,” said Ryan. “In many ways, McCoy was able to not only sustain but also continue to thrive.”

Retirement didn’t mark the end of Ryan’s ties with the PawSox. NESN employed him as an analyst whenever the cable station broadcast games from McCoy. Ryan has also been behind the mike the past three seasons for the call of the R.I. interscholastic baseball championships.

Ryan credits the numerous times he’s spent in the company of the Pawtucket staff in providing him with business savvy that proved handy when he started KR Baseball Academy.

“I’ve known the front office forever and they’ve ran it as good as you can. True professionalism,” said Ryan. “I’ve learned a lot from how they do things. It’s all about treating the customers the right way.”

Last summer, Ryan was faced with a tough choice. As much as he had every intention of keeping KR Baseball Academy in Pawtucket, the 46-year-old ultimately came to terms that relocation represented his best option.

On a bigger scale, the team that Ryan grew up rooting for and later playing for is looking for a way to remain faithful to its proud Pawtucket roots while at the same time expressing a strong commitment to provide it with a new lease on life.

“You know how hard Ben (Mondor, the late PawSox owner) and his staff worked to make it what it is and where it is,” said Ryan. “There was plenty of hard work and elbow grease that was involved in getting the franchise to where it is today.

“Like anything else, you have to look at the other side,” Ryan added. “If they go to Providence, it is what it is.”

If such a scenario does come to pass, do yourself a favor and head over to Ryan’s complex. It’s there where the PawSox and McCoy Stadium will never go out of style.

VIDEO OF THE DAY: Has Kentucky even reached their peak yet?http://pawtuckettimes.com/content/video-day-has-kentucky-even-reached-their-peak-yet2015-03-27T12:00:57-04:002015-03-27T12:00:57-04:00eedition

PAWTUCKET – Student-athletes who participate in interscholastic winter sports at Tolman and Shea high schools were recently recognized and awarded The Key Player Spirit Award.

PAWTUCKET – Student-athletes who participate in interscholastic winter sports at Tolman and Shea high schools were recently recognized and awarded The Key Player Spirit Award.

This award is sponsored by Key Group, Mortgage Division and Spirit Recognition. The award is presented to one athlete from each winter sports team who exemplifies spirit, sportsmanship, leadership and academic excellence.

Top photo, Shea High School Athletic Director Kate Corry, left, and Principal Don Miller, right, stand with five Shea students who were recently named Spirit Award winners for the winter sports season. Pictured seated from left are Tania Gaspar and Eurizanda Medina; standing from left are Jamay Holland, Helder Gomes and Astan Coulibaly.

Bottom photo, Tolman High School Athletic Director Frank Laliberte, in back at left, and Assistant Principal Lonnie Morris, at far right, stand inside The Modern Diner in Pawtucket with eight Tolman students who were recently named Spirit Award winners for the winter sports season. Pictured seated from left are Allison Feather, Olivia Ogden and Aly Alonzo. Pictured standing from left are Austin Bizier, Ryan Barbeiro, Chelsea Soria, Andrew Turner and Edgar Torres.

The following Shea athletes were selected:

Jamay Holland – Boys’ Basketball

Head coach Matt Pita: “Jamay is an extremely hard worker on and off the court. He is a true leader on both ends of the court … an excellent student of the game.”

Astan Coulibaly – Girls’ Basketball

Head coach John Lickert: “Astan is a quiet leader who works hard and never complains. She is dependable, has a positive attitude, and is a great role model for the younger players.”

Justin Capraro – Boys’ Indoor Track

Head coach Mike Goodson: “Justin is very enthusiastic about running. Mr. Team Spirit. He gives his best effort in everything he does.”

Eurizanda Medina – Girls’ Indoor Track

Head coach Katie Desrosiers: “Eurizanda is a hard worker and a natural leader. She is dedicated and has gone above and beyond to make it to every competition. Even when she is not competing, she is there to support her teammates and make sure everyone stays optimistic and motivated. It is easy to tell that she loves this sport and her teammates. As a senior she will surely be missed by all next year.”

Helder Gomes – Boys’ Swimming

Head coach Kim Hewson: “Helder is a supportive leader who steps out of his comfort zone by trying new events and exercises. He leads with his good attitude, good attendance, encouraging words and by mentoring his teammates as they try to improve their swim strokes and techniques.”

Tania Gaspar – Girls’ Swimming

Head coach Kim Hewson: “Tania deserves the Spirit Award because she is a leader with a good attitude who encourages others with words and deeds and she is a risk taker. Tania inspires others by trying new events and exercises.”

The following Tolman athletes were selected:

Aly Alonzo – Girls’ Indoor Track

Head coach: Kayla Fleming: “Aly was one of the Indoor team captains. She always tries her hardest and she is a great supporter of her teammates. She is a great role model for the rest of the girls on the team.”

Austin Bizier – Wrestling

Head coach Jason Rushton: “Austin is our senior captain of the wrestling team this year. Austin has been a role model for the rest of our team because of his dedication in practice as well as matches. Austin finished the season with a record of 15-4. Austin will be attending the University of Rhode Island to pursue a degree in Kinesiology in the fall.”

Edgar Torres – Boys’ Basketball

Head coach Mike Kayata: “Edgar is a senior on the boys’ varsity basketball team. Edgar is a very unselfish player who puts his team first and ahead of his own personal goals. He is hardworking, determined, focused on the task at hand, and is willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. Edgar is a well-rounded person who listens, follows instructions and always does what is best for the team. He gives 100-percent effort in every game and practice. He has a great work ethic and is determined to be the best he can be. I am proud to be his coach.”

Olivia Ogden – Girls’ Basketball

Head coach Tammy Drape: “Olivia is a pleasure to coach. She always shows up with a great attitude and demonstrates a consistent work ethic, which is evident by her tremendous improvement. She is a true team player.”

Andrew Turner – Boys’ Swimming

Head coach Lauren Sepe: “Andrew Turner was new to the swim team this year. He showed leadership and determination from the first day. He is a hard worker and was always dependable. Andrew worked incredibly hard this season and showed a huge improvement in his times by the end of the season. Andrew was known to the boys’ team as a person that can be counted on and a wonderful role model.”

Chelsea Soria – Girls’ Swimming

Head coach Lauren Sepe: “Chelsea Soria had a positive impact on the team through her dedication and determination. She had a positive attitude throughout the entire season. She worked hard at every practice and stepped up at every meet. She was a leader and a role model for the girl’s team this year!”

Ryan Barbeiro – Boys’ Indoor Track

Head coach John Toth: “Ryan is an outstanding student. He is the epitome of the phrase student athlete. We hope that our athletes will work just as hard academically as they do on the track, field or court; Ryan does just that.”

Allison Feather – Cheerleading

Head coach Jessica MacLaughlin: “Allison feather has been a key player to our team this past year. She shows compassion to other teammates when they’re down she is always trying to lift spirits. She takes the opportunity to help her teammates when they happen to struggle with an element at practice and she is the first to step up and say “guys we can do this! She is a pleasure to have around and we are honored to name Allison as our Key Spirit Player!”

Providence College basketball | Dunk game for Friars icemen no quid-pro-quohttp://pawtuckettimes.com/content/providence-college-basketball-dunk-game-friars-icemen-no-quid-pro-quo2015-03-24T22:49:16-04:002015-03-24T22:49:16-04:00editor

PROVIDENCE – No, Providence College fans. There was not an ounce of pity in the NCAA’s decision to send the men’s hockey team to a tournament game at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center after the men’s basketball team was subjected to a quasi-home game in Dayton’s backyard.

PROVIDENCE – No, Providence College fans. There was not an ounce of pity in the NCAA’s decision to send the men’s hockey team to a tournament game at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center after the men’s basketball team was subjected to a quasi-home game in Dayton’s backyard.

“Those two things are not related at all,” said PC athletic director Bob Driscoll. “Some people may say that they got handicapped on the basketball side, so let’s take care of them on the hockey side. Those people who run those committees don’t even talk to each other. They don’t even know who’s in one field versus the other.”

As a former chairman of the NCAA Ice Hockey Championship Committee, Driscoll is well versed in the criteria used in assigning NCAA teams a particular region. The strategy is more metrically driven with the seeding process done based purely on the rankings of the 16 invitees.

The top four teams are placed in sites based on geographic proximity. That was certainly the case with Boston University heading to New Hampshire and North Dakota remaining in its home state. The top seed in the East Region, which takes place at The Dunk this weekend, is Miami (Ohio).

Providence was assigned a four seed, same as Yale, Quinnipiac and Rochester Institute of Technology. Within the grouping, teams can be placed in regions that would hopefully translate into a stronger box office draw.

“I’m sure they sent Providence to (The Dunk) based on the proximity of trying to drive more fans to the place,” Driscoll said. “They do it strategically.”

Next March, The Dunk and Providence will host second and third round NCAA Tournament basketball games. Should Ed Cooley’s Friars qualify, they would be permitted from playing a game on its home-court. URI, Brown and Bryant would be except from such restrictions and could conceivably be assigned to a locale where a short drive is involved.

Of course in light of recent uproar involving Dayton, the NCAA figures to take a long and hard look when it comes to placing distance between a team and supposed neutral site arena.

♦♦♦

Maybe Tyler Harris saw the handwriting on the wall Friday night as he spent much of the second half watching the Friars’ final game of the season from the bench. A redshirt junior, Harris logged just 12 minutes, much less than the 27 minutes he averaged this season.

On Tuesday, Harris announced that he will forgo his final year of eligibility with PC, thus opening the door for the 6-foot-9 forward to either turn pro or transfer to another school and play right away as a fifth-year senior. Harris came to PC in 2012 after spending his freshman season at N.C. State. He played in 69 games over the last two seasons and saw his scoring average drop from 11.6 points per game his first year to 9.9 this season.

Harris started the first 46 games of his PC career before Cooley opted to remove him from the starting five prior to the Dec. 20 game against UMass.

Harris was honored as part of the Senior Day festivities and did start in PC’s near upset of Villanova in the Big East Tournament semifinals. He didn’t score a single point in 25 minutes, a performance that likely translated to a move back to the bench for the season finale against Dayton. Harris failed to crack double-digit points in seven of PC’s final 12 games.

Harris took to Twitter to say thanks to PC.

“I would like to thank all of the fans and supporters at Providence College for giving me such a great experience. For the best interest of my future I will not be coming back to Providence and will be playing somewhere else.”

♦♦♦

If you think NBA scouts or front office types are suddenly sour on Kris Dunn just because the final image of him is a 4-for-13 shooting performance with seven turnovers sprinkled in against Dayton, think again.

“If they had moved on, the kid was only going to get more hype. With a national audience, that changes a lot of stuff,” said an NBA scout. “That was cut short so know we’ll see once the dust settles.”

On the mock draft pieced together by draftexpress.com, Dunn is listed as the potential 15th overall player chosen. Over at nbadraft.net, the website has Dunn going No. 22 to the San Antonio Spurs.

Lincoln High Unified Sports | TEAMWORK: Jarest honored as coach of year by athletic administratorshttp://pawtuckettimes.com/content/lincoln-high-unified-sports-teamwork-jarest-honored-coach-year-athletic-administrators2015-03-23T22:33:23-04:002015-03-23T22:33:23-04:00editor

LINCOLN — It was virtually a last-minute decision to volunteer to coach Lincoln High's Unified Volleyball and Basketball teams, but Renee Jarest took that leap at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year.

She's mighty glad she did, as she not only had the opportunity to teach special athletes the fundamentals of the sports, but also helped them – with the aid of “partners” – achieve their goal of competing in a varsity sport.

LINCOLN — It was virtually a last-minute decision to volunteer to coach Lincoln High's Unified Volleyball and Basketball teams, but Renee Jarest took that leap at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year.

She's mighty glad she did, as she not only had the opportunity to teach special athletes the fundamentals of the sports, but also helped them – with the aid of “partners” – achieve their goal of competing in a varsity sport.

The LHS community found her dedication to coaching those with intellectual or physical challenges both thrilling and touching, but it wasn't the only entity. Jarest found out recently that the Rhode Island Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association felt the same way, issuing her its “Female Coach of the Year” accolade.

It's an honor voted on by each and every athletic administrator throughout Rhode Island, and – when she discovered the news – her reaction was, well, disbelief.

“I got an e-mail from Brian Fineberg, the Lincoln A.D. saying, 'Congratulations!' and I was thinking 'For what?'” laughed Jarest, who recently moved to Charlotte, N.C. “He forwarded another e-mail from the person in charge (of the association), and I read it. All I can say is I was shocked, like, 'is this for real?'

“You know when you get an e-mail from 'Who's Who,' and they tell you people have nominated you for it, just to get you to buy in? Well, that's what I thought,” she added. “I was wondering again, 'Is this for real?' but Brian told me it certainly was.”

Because of her move, she will be unable to attend the awards dinner, slated for Friday, April 2, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, but she's already solved that problem. She has asked two of her players, including senior partner Crystal Goodreau and transition program student-athlete Emily Chece, to stand up for her.

“My parents will be there, and I already let them know that Crystal and Emily will be accepting,” she explained. “When I asked them if they'd be willing, they were very grateful, but it's me who's grateful. They may be accepting for me, but it has little to do with me. It's the team members. I called Brian and told him, 'This is more for the kids. That's why they'll accept for me,' and he had no problem with that.”

For someone who had little experience playing either sport while a student at Barrington High in the early 1990s, she certainly did a fine job of not only teaching the fundamentals, but getting the partners and special athletes to work together for the same cause: Improvement.

“I only played one season of volleyball at Barrington, and – as far as coaching goes – the only thing I did was coach flag cheerleading for the Smithfield Vikings, a group of five-year-old girls who rooted for the pre-teen program,” she giggled. “I loved that, working with little kids.”

After graduating from Rhode Island College with a Bachelor's of Arts in psychology in 1999 – but she always wanted to be an educator – Jarest chose to pursue a career as a one-on-one teacher's assistant in the Lincoln Public School System.

That stint lasted from 2002 to 2014.

One August day in 2013, as she prepared for her teaching responsibilities at LHS, she discovered the coach of the Unified Volleyball program “was suddenly backing out,” she noted. “Another teacher's assistant and I looked at each other and said, 'If no one does it, there won't be a team!' We approached (Assistant Principal) Heidi Godowski and told her we'd be interested if the other person couldn't perform the role.

“My getting involved was all about helping these kids play a varsity sport; some people think they can't or shouldn't take part on a team, but that's not true, and we proved it,” she continued. “Once we got the word out that Unified had started at Lincoln, really started selling it, we packed the stands.

“That was the whole idea, have people appreciate what these people were doing despite their challenges. We'd have kids tell us, 'My gosh, I didn't know they could do that,' like hit a basket or serve over the net in volleyball, but they can and do. They were very impressed.”

**

What made it possible was Lincoln High joining the Special Olympics Rhode Island's Project Unify/Unified Sports to the school community. It brought in a student-led group, one that Jarest advised.

The initiative allowed her to deliver to students with and without disabilities the chance to compete in varsity sports side by side.

“I think we played six matches during the regular season, and we made it through the first round of the playoffs, but then we lost in the semis,” she stated. “I think we finished 3-5, but it has nothing to do with record. It's all about seeing the grins on their faces after they do something great.”

Jarest received another shock last February when Kerrie Carbone, her co-coach with the volleyball program, told her she couldn't help out with the hoop squad.

“Kerrie had a lot on her plate, so she couldn't help me as much she had wanted,” Jarest chuckled. “I took it over alone, and I was nervous! I had never coached basketball before, and I was never on an actual basketball team, so I was, like, 'How am I going to do this?'”

She received her answer when partners (those without intellectual or physical challenges) came out in droves to give her some pointers.

“A lot of them either had played volleyball or basketball or both, so they helped a great deal; actually, we helped each other. It was a learning experience, and the good news was we didn't finish last,” she laughed again. Winning was great, but to see the partners and athletes doing what they love to do, and getting along so well together and working as a team, that's what was so satisfying.

“I'd also say that when you have fans from another team cheering for your team and athletes, and vice-versa, it's so rewarding,” she added. “Everybody wins. I don't remember what our final record was, but that wasn't important, not at all. Just seeing the kids' faces light up, that's what I remember most.”

Jarest indicated her first job before heading to Lincoln was as a case manager for a Milford, Mass. group home. That's where she developed her adoration for helping others, especially youngsters.

“I loved that, too,” she offered. “It may sound corny, but those children are our future, and they're so impressionable at any age, but you realize they're capable of doing they set their minds to. It's so rewarding.

“When it comes to special students, they need a little more guidance and help, but I've still seen them achieve their dreams. You play a role in helping them get to that point.”

As a Unified mentor, she witnessed some truly inspiring moments between the first day of practice and the last game or match of the season.

“The difference, I'd say, is that you see their personalities change, and I mean all of them,” she said. “They become more outgoing, kinder. Some of the athletes were outgoing as it was, but when they say that all eyes were on them, they ate that up. They also became more confident. More of the students (without challenges) would come up to the special athletes and say, 'Hi,' give them high-fives, eat lunch with one another as teammates.

“It was a little mind-boggling, but that's why you coach. I also kind of expected it; after all, that's what Unified Sports are all about.

“My philosophy for coaching was simple: I'd say, 'Go out there, have fun and show 'em what you've got,” she continued. “Their first basketball game (for the 20-15 campaign) was last week, and I miss it, and them, already. There were so many special moments for me. I remember one girl in a wheelchair who played volleyball for us; she wasn't allowed to play basketball because her chair would be too much of a liability.

“Her mother actually went to the R.I. Interscholastic League to speak with officials, and she said, 'I want my daughter to be able to play!' Unfortunately, she didn't, but that rule will change this year, which is fantastic.

“One thing that stands out in my mind is that we had to figure out a way for her to serve because her chair would get in the way. We finally had her move up to the net, and she'd push the ball off her lap to a partner, who would finish the serve over the net.

“She was so excited, she yelled, 'I did it!' Of course, I had to wipe away a few tears.”

If there was any wonder why Jarest had been chosen “Female Coach of the Year,” that without question answers it.

LINCOLN – It was virtually a last-minute decision to volunteer to coach Lincoln High's Unified Volleyball and Basketball teams, but Renee Jarest took that leap at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year.

She's mighty glad she did, as she not only had the opportunity to teach special athletes the fundamentals of the sports, but also helped them – with the aid of “partners” – achieve their goal of competing in a varsity sport.

LINCOLN – It was virtually a last-minute decision to volunteer to coach Lincoln High's Unified Volleyball and Basketball teams, but Renee Jarest took that leap at the beginning of the 2013-14 school year.

She's mighty glad she did, as she not only had the opportunity to teach special athletes the fundamentals of the sports, but also helped them – with the aid of “partners” – achieve their goal of competing in a varsity sport.

The LHS community found her dedication to coaching those with intellectual or physical challenges both thrilling and touching, but it wasn't the only entity. Jarest found out recently that the Rhode Island Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association felt the same way, issuing her its “Female Coach of the Year” accolade.

It's an honor voted on by each and every athletic administrator throughout Rhode Island, and – when she discovered the news – her reaction was, well, disbelief.

“I got an e-mail from Brian Fineberg, the Lincoln A.D. saying, 'Congratulations!' and I was thinking 'For what?'” laughed Jarest, who recently moved to Charlotte, N.C. “He forwarded another e-mail from the person in charge (of the association), and I read it. All I can say is I was shocked, like, 'is this for real?'

“You know when you get an e-mail from 'Who's Who,' and they tell you people have nominated you for it, just to get you to buy in? Well, that's what I thought,” she added. “I was wondering again, 'Is this for real?' but Brian told me it certainly was.”

Because of her move, she will be unable to attend the awards dinner, slated for Friday, April 2, at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, but she's already solved that problem. She has asked two of her players, including senior partner Crystal Goodreau and transition program student-athlete Emily Chece, to stand up for her.

“My parents will be there, and I already let them know that Crystal and Emily will be accepting,” she explained. “When I asked them if they'd be willing, they were very grateful, but it's me who's grateful. They may be accepting for me, but it has little to do with me. It's the team members. I called Brian and told him, 'This is more for the kids. That's why they'll accept for me,' and he had no problem with that.”

For someone who had little experience playing either sport while a student at Barrington High in the early 1990s, she certainly did a fine job of not only teaching the fundamentals, but getting the partners and special athletes to work together for the same cause: Improvement.

“I only played one season of volleyball at Barrington, and – as far as coaching goes – the only thing I did was coach flag cheerleading for the Smithfield Vikings, a group of five-year-old girls who rooted for the pre-teen program,” she giggled. “I loved that, working with little kids.”

After graduating from Rhode Island College with a Bachelor's of Arts in psychology in 1999 – but she always wanted to be an educator – Jarest chose to pursue a career as a one-on-one teacher's assistant in the Lincoln Public School System.

That stint lasted from 2002 to 2014.

One August day in 2013, as she prepared for her teaching responsibilities at LHS, she discovered the coach of the Unified Volleyball program “was suddenly backing out,” she noted. “Another teacher's assistant and I looked at each other and said, 'If no one does it, there won't be a team!' We approached (Assistant Principal) Heidi Godowski and told her we'd be interested if the other person couldn't perform the role.

“My getting involved was all about helping these kids play a varsity sport; some people think they can't or shouldn't take part on a team, but that's not true, and we proved it,” she continued. “Once we got the word out that Unified had started at Lincoln, really started selling it, we packed the stands.

“That was the whole idea, have people appreciate what these people were doing despite their challenges. We'd have kids tell us, 'My gosh, I didn't know they could do that,' like hit a basket or serve over the net in volleyball, but they can and do. They were very impressed.”

The 44-year-old city native learned recently he had been selected the R.I.I.A.A.A.’s “Male Coach of the Year,” and that he will be feted at the mammoth group’s annual awards dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick on Thursday, April 2.

The 44-year-old city native learned recently he had been selected the R.I.I.A.A.A.’s “Male Coach of the Year,” and that he will be feted at the mammoth group’s annual awards dinner at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick on Thursday, April 2.

It nevertheless was no stunner to anyone who knows of Nachbar and his supreme dedication to the sport. Last season, he not only led his team to a perfect 21-0 league mark (their first flawless campaign in school history), but also the state Division II championship.

The latest crown serves as a testament to Nachbar’s tutelage and success, as Tolman had also captured D-II crowns in 2011 and 2013. Since ‘11, his Tigers have compiled an incredible 72-7 overall record to go with those three titles.

Unusual beginnings

One way the dedicated coach is atypical from his peers is that he didn’t even play his sport as a high school athlete.

As a student at Shea High in the late 1980s, he ran cross-country and spent three springs as a junior-varsity baseball player. The Raiders’ athletic department didn’t have a volleyball team, and wouldn’t until nearly 20 years later.

But his interest had been piqued in junior high when he played for Slater in a city-wide championship.

“I truly enjoyed playing volleyball when I was first introduced to it at Slater (Junior High),” he said. “It was in ninth grade, and it was an after-school program. There was a city championship between us, Jenks and Goff (all junior highs), and our teacher/coach didn’t stay with us. He went somewhere, and we were left on our own, but we ended up winning it.

“It was just us kids leading ourselves; when he left, that just got us more fired up because the other two teams had coaches. We wanted to prove we didn’t need an adult to win it. That, I guess, was the very beginning of my love affair with volleyball.”

But it wasn’t until the Class of ‘88 grad went on to Roger Williams University, that he was able to renew his interest in the sport.

“They had started a men’s volleyball program a few years before I had arrived, but I didn’t know a lot about it,” he said. “I became more intrigued by it after watching the U.S. men’s volleyball team win the gold medal at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. I’ve always been a big fan of the Olympics, so I started following the national teams.

“They were the best team in the world with the best players in the world; I just loved Karch Kiraly and the way he played,” he added. “As a freshman at Roger Williams, I went for the heck of it to a women’s volleyball match, and I got to know some of the players and coaches.

Building on those relationships, he became the manager of both teams in his sophomore year. But Hawks’ co-captain Mark Mastin thought Nachbar should go one step further, and try out for the men’s squad.

“Mark was a former All-Stater from Coventry; I mean, all of the guys had played in high school, and I didn’t have the opportunity because we didn’t have one,” he continued. “All of them were phenomenal athletes. If they weren’t All-State in volleyball, they were in some other sport, so I was somewhat intimidated. I had never played true organized volleyball before.

“I didn’t think I had the skill or athletic ability to make it,” he said. “The only volleyball I had ever played was intramurals after school.”

Team player

But as manager, Nachbar followed the team on the road and said that as he got more comfortable around the other players, he gave renewed thought to trying out.

“I had never experienced that kind of camaraderie before, and I loved it. I wanted to continue with the sport, try to learn as much as I could about it from the players and coaches,” he said.

“I finally decided to try out my junior year, and I made it; it was great. I didn’t play much, but I didn’t care. I was on the team. I was a back-row specialist mostly, but I did get the opportunity to play some outside hitter on occasion.”

With a laugh, he added, “At 5-9, I naturally was one of the shortest guys on the team, but it was still fun. I don’t remember how we did my junior year, but I know my senior year we finished second in the league and beat Springfield, which had a really good team.”

During his final stint as a Hawk, RWU was invited to the NCAA Northeast Regional Open tourney, and Nachbar admitted being intimidated once again.

“We played at Princeton, and they were ranked No. 16 in the country,” he recalled. “We ended up getting swept, but we were missing two starters in that tournament.

“I had come off the bench (as a substitute) for most of the season, but I got to play the third set against Princeton. It was probably the most nerve-wracking experience I’ve ever had in sports. I knew I’d never be in position to play against such good athletes the rest of my life, so it was a surreal moment for this kid from Pawtucket to be playing against this Ivy League team that was nationally ranked.”

While managing and playing with the RWU contingent, he not only acquired the skills to play the sport, but also became a student of its strategy and psychology.

“I actually had applied for the girls’ varsity coaching job on three different occasions, but didn’t get it,” he said. “I agreed to be the varsity girls’ assistant, but I really wanted to be a head coach.”

Man with a plan

His big break came in 1997, when Ruggiero asked him to start a boys’ program. Relishing in the chance to build his own team from scratch, he immediately developed both long- and short-term plans for it. They included his expectations for the student-athletes, opportunities for player development during the off-season that were in accordance with Rhode Island Interscholastic League and national rules, ways to promote volleyball in the school and the community and, of course, fundraising goals.

It didn’t take him long to see the fruits of his labor.

In just his second season at the helm, 1998, the inexperienced Tigers earned a D-II playoff berth and nearly upset top-seeded Westerly (in its home gym). The following year, Tolman doubled its victory total, finished 18-1 and garnered a championship final bid opposite powerhouse La Salle.

The Tigers lost that attempt, but avenged that defeat in 2000 with the program’s first-ever state title.

Tolman then went over a decade without another crown, but starting in 2011 began a dynasty with three of the next four.

“Long before I became a head coach, I had a vision as to how I wanted a volleyball program to look and act. I wanted a team that would work hard in practice, compete for every point in every match and represent the city of Pawtucket in a positive manner. I think we’ve achieved that at Tolman.

“I’m especially proud of the fact that we not only had early and sustained success in the program’s history, but also that our teams have won so many Division II state sportsmanship awards,” he continued. “That means we not only had very good athletes, but those who took pride in their school and community. I made sure they would conduct themselves the way a consummate student-athlete should.

Hometown pride

As his coaching career progressed, Nachbar has had numerous other opportunities, including pacing the Johnson & Wales’ men’s program from 2002-2005.

He said coaching in college was ultimately less satisfying because of the amount of the job consumed by traveling and recruiting.

“At that point in my career I could have looked for a coaching opportunity anywhere, but I felt such a strong connection to Tolman and my hometown. That’s where I started, and where I wanted to be,” he said.

He said he feels deeply that the city’s public school sports teams should reflect positively on the community.

“I always made it clear to every player there would be a stigma attached to any sports team in Pawtucket because it’s known as a lower-income community, and that it sometimes is in the news for the wrong reasons. I always told them to be on their best behavior so they wouldn’t fuel that stereotype,” he said.

“I revel in those sportsmanship awards as much as I do the state championships. I’ve received so many compliments over the years regarding how well-behaved our players are. I’ve got them from officials, opposing coaches and players and fans from all over the state. Those are the things of which I’m most proud.”

Stated Laliberte, who has known Nachbar for decades: “When we had our annual R.I.I.A.A.A breakfast meeting, it was my first one, and I wasn’t sure about the process for nominating people. When they opened nominations on the floor, I knew I had to get up and nominate Neil. I mean, with three state titles in four years, I knew he’d be in the running.

“He’s very soft-spoken, so I think it has a calming effect on his players, but he combines that with teaching the technical aspects of volleyball so well,” he added. “That’s what makes him a great coach. Great coaches are able to teach that, and also discipline them and praise them all at the same time.

“He’s truly outstanding, and it’s an honor for us having him on our staff.”

NFL Draft | TAKING HIS BEST SHOT: Jean-Daniel Roussel, former St. Raphael standout, tries to turn heads at Brown University Pro Dayhttp://pawtuckettimes.com/content/nfl-draft-taking-his-best-shot-jean-daniel-roussel-former-st-raphael-standout-tries-turn-hea2015-03-18T17:48:29-04:002015-03-18T17:48:29-04:00editor

PROVIDENCE – Jean-Daniel Roussel had the perfect way to seek feedback at Brown University’s Pro Football Day.

Whenever there was a break in the action, the Pawtucket native and St. Raphael Academy alumnus would glance at Brown offensive coordinator Frank Sheehan. Six NFL scouts came to the Ivy League school, all of them armed with the appropriate tools of the trade.

PROVIDENCE – Jean-Daniel Roussel had the perfect way to seek feedback at Brown University’s Pro Football Day.

Whenever there was a break in the action, the Pawtucket native and St. Raphael Academy alumnus would glance at Brown offensive coordinator Frank Sheehan. Six NFL scouts came to the Ivy League school, all of them armed with the appropriate tools of the trade.

Other than instructing participants such as Roussel of what the expectations were for the corresponding drills, the scouts mostly were silent observers. Hit the button on the stopwatch and jot the time along with any corresponding notes down on the clipboard ... the course of action was repeated over and over.

With feedback at a premium, Roussel came to rely on Sheehan to see where he stood.

“You try to feel out the audience, like a head nod or a thumb’s up,” said Roussel. “(Sheehan) was very helpful. If didn’t do well the first time in a drill, he would pass something along so that I could do better the second time.”

With six weeks remaining before the NFL Draft in Chicago, Roussel – a cornerback out of Sacred Heart University – is on a mission to catch the fancy of as many teams as possible. It’s standard protocol that the participants won’t find out their exact times in events such as the 40-yard dash until their agency contacts NFL headquarters.

Given that Roussel’s representative – Glen Lansky of Florida-based Elite Sports Agency – personally knows the New England Patriots’ scout who was present at Brown Tuesday, the local lad believes that he will be able to find out his exact numbers sooner rather than later.

“All in all, I gave it my best shot,” said Roussel, who besides the Patriots worked out for the Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers and Washington Redskins. “It was everything I expected. I can’t say that I was surprised by anything.

“This is a huge step not even just for me, but all the players from Scared Heart and from Rhode Island,” Roussel continued. “Even if I don’t end up moving for- ward, I can live and say I did a pro day. Any advice that people might want in the future, I’ll be here to help them out.”

Roussel’s day began shortly after 9 a.m. with the Wonderlic test – he had 12 minutes to complete as many of the 41 questions as possible. Measuring a person’s IQ, he noted that your Wonderlic grade is based on how many questions you end up answering before time’s up.

After the vertical and broad jumps, Roussel lined up for the 40-yard dash, held inside the Olney-Margolies Athletic Center. He performed this much-scrutinized straight-line speed test twice.

“Someone told me I ran a 4.52,” said Roussel.

It was then off to the weight room where Roussel performed 14 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press. He measured out at 5-foot-10.5 and 186 pounds, a slight increase from the 178 pounds that he played at during his final year at Sacred Heart.

“Once I got to 11, I felt I had a couple more in me,” he said. “I wanted to get to 15, but I’m very pleased with 14.”

The scene then shifted outdoors to the Bears’ practice field. With the playing surface – field turf – saturated from an early-morning rainstorm, keeping and staying upright proved challenging as Roussel and his fellow NFL hopefuls engaged in several cone drills designed to test lower-body explosion and the ability to instantly change direction.

“The Patriots scout said that when he sends in the information, he marks down the quality of the field. One is the best and three is the worst,” said Roussel. “He said that he’s going to make it known that the conditions were slippery. A lot of teams will take that into consideration, but I don’t want to use that as an excuse. It’s football. Sometimes you have to play in the rain.”

Roussel closed his day with pass-catching drills that also tested his ability to read-and-react to the situation. Given that he intercepted seven passes his junior season with the Pioneers and followed up with a five-pick effort as a senior, it was no surprise to see him ace this particular segment.

The day concluded with Roussel shaking hands with all the scouts.

“I felt like I was getting re-recruited all over again. I’m a little older and mature so I wasn’t as nervous or as tense as I was when I was 17 or 18, but this is football. This is fun,” said Roussel. “I got to go in front some of the best organizations in the NFL.”

Depending on the numbers and feedback he receives from Tuesday’s opportunity to state his case, Roussel may decide to skip the March 26 pro day that Yale University.

“I’m committed at the moment, but it could change,” he said. “I know they want a definite answer soon.”

The hope is that the performance Roussel turned in at Brown will pave the way to invites to the local Pro Days that NFL teams stage. Given that he’s a native Rhode Islander who played his college ball in Connecticut, he would qualify for the Patriots and the two New York franchises, the Jets and Giants.

“It’s a big change. From balancing school, the real world and football ...I don’t know what the world is going to throw at me, but I know I’m prepared for anything,” said Roussel, who is on track to receive a Masters in Communication.

“I think I’m where I need to be,” Roussel added. “Even if football ends up being over for me, I’ve got to keep working hard because the job market isn’t easy.”

KINGSTON — After playing two, slow-down Atlantic 10 Tournament conference games over the weekend, the No. 3 Rhode Island basketball team finally found an opponent that was willing to play an up-tempo, 94-foot contest.

In the first round of the National Invitational Tournament, the Rams and No. 6 Iona traded dunks, 3-pointers, transition buckets and free throws – lots and lots of free throws – for 40 minutes Tuesday night.

KINGSTON — After playing two, slow-down Atlantic 10 Tournament conference games over the weekend, the No. 3 Rhode Island basketball team finally found an opponent that was willing to play an up-tempo, 94-foot contest.

In the first round of the National Invitational Tournament, the Rams and No. 6 Iona traded dunks, 3-pointers, transition buckets and free throws – lots and lots of free throws – for 40 minutes Tuesday night.

The Gaels took advantage of the Rams’ lethargy in the first 2:30, but then E.C. Matthews, Jared Terrell and Jarvis Garrett took control of the game. Garrett delivered a career-high 10 assists, while the two wings combined for 36 points, seven rebounds and three steals in a 88-75 victory at the Ryan Center.

“Thrilled with the win. That was an NCAA-caliber opponent,” Rhode Island coach Dan Hurley said. “They dominated their league and weren’t in the NCAA Tournament because they didn’t play their best in their one-big league. That was a high-quality basketball team that we were able to gain control of, I thought, relatively comfortably.”

“It’s my teammates, like I said before,” Garrett said after recording his first double-double with 10 points and 10 assists. “My teammates are keeping me well grounded and they’re always talking to me and just telling me to keep my head straight and focused on winning.”

Rhode Island (23-9) advances to the second round and will either visit No. 2 Stanford or host No. 7 UC-Davis in the second round later this week.

Iona (26-9) won the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season title, but the Gaels were simply no match for Manhattan in the MAAC title game eight days ago and couldn’t keep up with the Rams Tuesday night.

Forward David Laury knocked down three 3-pointers and scored 26 points, while starting guard A.J. English chucked up 20 shots and was 12-for-14 from the line to score a game-high 28 points.

Even though the Gaels were on the precipice of being blown out late in the first half and early in the second half, they were still only down nine points with 12:39 left when A.J. English converted a three-point play.

URI responded with a 12-4 run over the next 4:59 punctuated by a Hassan Martin follow-up dunk to build an 18-point advantage. Martin struggled from the field for the third straight game, but he still produced 11 rebounds and six blocks to go along with six points.

For complete story and photos, see Wednesday's print edition of The Call.

R.I. High school sports | Plans are in place in the event baseball, softball seasons don't start on time http://pawtuckettimes.com/content/ri-high-school-sports-plans-are-place-event-baseball-softball-seasons-dont-start-time2015-03-17T10:15:46-04:002015-03-17T10:18:08-04:00editor

PROVIDENCE – The state’s ball fields are nowhere near ready for use. Bur no, interscholastic spring sports are not being canceled. Nor will regular-season games be reduced, as of yet.

“We put out to the athletic directors: What can we do?” said Interscholastic League Executive Director Tom Mezzanotte during Monday’s Principals’ Committee on Athletics meeting.

RIIL officials met recently with the Rhode Island Interscholastic Athletic Administrator Association to talk about the problem, with Mezzanotte noting, “they’re on the same sheet of music as we’re on,” in their hopes to play a full schedule even if the high school baseball and softball seasons don’t start on time.

One option being discussed would have teams play three games a week.

“If we can’t play that first week, do we eliminate those games? We decided that we’re going to try and makeup all the games, but we’re all in agreement that may mean playing more games per week,” said Mezzanotte. “That will make it a little more difficult on teams, but we also talked about spreading it out by playing games on Saturday or during spring break.”

Playing games on Sundays, and scheduling doubleheaders, are two additional options. Yet another alternative is making early-season adjustments to swap visiting teams and home teams in the event that one of the two teams’ fields is ready.

“Let’s switch and play the game at your field or maybe we’ll play two games at your field,” said Mezzanotte. “We need to get the games in regardless. We’re going to try our best to get in 18 (regular season) games for baseball.”

Baseball finals are set for mid-June at McCoy Stadium, which gives the league a finite window to finish the regular season are preliminaries while the PawSox are away. Mezzanotte said softball has more flexibility thanks to the easier availability of Rhode Island College.

Some other items discussed at Monday’s PCOA meeting at RIIL headquarters, located at Rhode Island College:

Gribbin said the Ryan Center felt too cavernous at times over the weekend, particularly during Saturday’s semifinal game between La Salle and Juanita Sanchez. Mezzanotte said that the league would not stand in the way should girls’ basketball decide to relocate. He also stated that the attendance for the divisional playoffs was greater than the state tournament, calling it “a concept that people are used to.”

• The PCOA unanimously approved a rule that that football committee put into place concerning blowouts. It stipulates that if there’s a 35-point differential during the fourth quarter, the game clock will not be stopped unless there’s an injury timeout or regular team time out.

The football committee and the RIIL were also in unison by continuing to support Jim Ashley for the next two years. Ashley is the commissioner of football officials for the Southeastern Massachusetts Football Officials Association (SEMFOA) and primary overseer of R.I. football officiating since 2013.

• The golf committee decreed that females who choose to hit from the red (forward) tees will not be eligible to win the individual state championship. Also, GPS or laser devices will be allowed on the golf course. Cell phones are prohibited.

• Mezzanotte said that he recently received a letter from new PawSox President James Skeffington, who assured the RIIL that they will still be able to use McCoy Stadium for the baseball championships for the next few seasons.

Follow Brendan McGair on Twitter @BWMcGair03

Community Sports | GREENER PASTURES: Young ballplayers taking advantage of indoor facilities while they wait for the snow to gohttp://pawtuckettimes.com/content/community-sports-greener-pastures-young-ballplayers-taking-advantage-indoor-facilities-while2015-03-16T18:38:36-04:002015-03-16T18:44:08-04:00editor

“I don’t think you’re going to be on the field this week or even by the first of the month.”

“I don’t think you’re going to be on the field this week or even by the first of the month.”

Those words articulated by Upper Deck Baseball Academy Manager Ed Veloso sum up the bind that softball and baseball programs – high school and Little League alike – find themselves in thanks to the cruel tricks that Mother Nature repeatedly played this winter. With fields still very much covered in snow and the startup date for interscholastic play listed as April 1, players and coaches are undoubtedly in the market for indoor facilities in which to practice.

“Look at it this way. Underneath the snow you have ice. Underneath the ice you have frozen ground,” said Veloso. “When all is said and done, it’s going to be a while.”

Fortunately for the Blackstone Valley, two places are ready to service your throwing and hitting needs. Business has been normal at Upper Deck, which has called Cumberland home for the past 15 years. An increase in clientele could be forthcoming there and also at KR Baseball Academy, which opened the doors to its new Lincoln location last fall.

“The only thing we can’t do is fly balls,” said Veloso. “All the other aspects of the game can be covered.”

It’s hard to think about baseball and softball when you look outside and see white stuff in places where there’s supposed to be grass. Even with the snow posing mounds of problems, it’s important to remember that all is not lost with regards to preparing for the season.

“As you get closer to April, the phone calls start to come in,” said Ken Ryan, owner of KR Baseball Academy. “I tell people that I’m like an ice cream stand. March is like July and things slow down the closer you get to the season.”

Given the unique set of weather-related challenges, it stands to reason that the startup date for the regular season will be pushed back. How long the delay proves to last is a topic for another day. Just remember that there will be games at some point, hence where Upper Deck and KR Baseball Academy figure to come in handy.

According to its website, Upper Deck is an 8,900-sqaure foot facility that includes hitting tunnels, tee stations, portable pitching mounds and of course, batting cages. Private lessons are also available.

“The people who are interested will find you. They understand that you can brush up on the finer points of the game even when you’re indoors,” said Veloso. “I’m expecting some business from teams that aren’t able to get on their fields.”

Afternoon weekday classes are in full swing at KR Baseball Academy with Ryan and his staff offering tutorials on hitting and pitching. There are coin-operated batting cages with one token that costs $2.50 yielding 20 pitches and plenty of space for pitchers who wish to go full tilt. In addition, there are team-friendly practice packages that could prove to be worth their weight in gold as far as serving as a timely contingency plan.

“I’ve talked to Central Falls and spoken to Lincoln High School and they all want to come in after school and start working out,” said Ryan. “I think that when that first day comes when you don’t have to wear a heavy jacket, the first thing that people are going to think is ‘here comes spring.’ Then they’ll want to come in and get ready.”

St. Raphael Girls Basketball | St. Raphael took eventual champs Bay View to the wire in semihttp://pawtuckettimes.com/content/st-raphael-girls-basketball-st-raphael-took-eventual-champs-bay-view-wire-semi2015-03-15T23:40:44-04:002015-03-15T23:43:31-04:00editor

KINGSTON – Fifteen minutes after the final horn had sounded, St. Raphael Academy veteran mentor Fred Saunders walked out of his girls’ locker room, saw a few media types waiting for him and immediately raised one hand before turning back to compose himself.

The gesture spoke volumes.

KINGSTON – Fifteen minutes after the final horn had sounded, St. Raphael Academy veteran mentor Fred Saunders walked out of his girls’ locker room, saw a few media types waiting for him and immediately raised one hand before turning back to compose himself.

The gesture spoke volumes.

There were two reasons why Saunders took his Saints’ 55-51 R.I. Girls’ Open Tournament semifinal loss to Bay View at the University of Rhode Island’s Ryan Center so hard. First, it dismissed the team from playing in Sunday’s championship game; and second, he had to say good-bye to the five SRA seniors who had meant so much to him.

Initially, he was so moved by the defeat, he asked assistant Rodney Smith to conduct the post-game press interviews without him. Less then a minute later, he re-emerged from the dressing room, stating he was ready.

“I don’t know where to begin,” he stated. “First, I have to thank my team for what they’ve done over the year. I’m really close to this team, so obviously this hurts me a little more. We had a family-like relationship all season long, and I wanted to get this team back to a state championship game so badly. They were so worthy of that, but we fell short.

“(The loss) is on my shoulders,” he added, shedding another tear. “They battled to the very end, and that’s all I could ever ask of them.”

The Saints’ campaign – one in which they had captured the Division II-North crown with a near-perfect 17-1 record – finished with a pair of disgruntling defeats. The first came in the Division II title tilt to Juanita Sanchez, then this. As a result, SRA closed at 23-4 overall.

Against the Bengals, senior quad-captain Kaylee Oliver knocked down five three-pointers en route to a game-leading 23 points, and she added three steals. Fellow senior quad-captain Seun Shittu chipped in 11 points; junior center Olivia Jannetta nine points, two blocks and two thefts; junior Lauren Taylor two points and a team-high eight rebounds; and sophomore Kasey Gagan five points, three steals and two assists.

Fellow senior quad-captain and point guard Danyel Gonzalez managed a point, four assists and three thefts for the Saints.

Lee also contributed seven rebounds and four blocks, while Solomon-Messier chipped in six boards and four caroms and Morgan Burke a squad-leading eight rebounds.

Holding the Burke girls and Corsinetti to a collective 26 points was quite a feat, yet not enough in the end.

SRA nevertheless threw quite the scare into the Bengals, who went on to win the R.I. State Championship on Sunday, witha 54-39 pasting of La Salle.

“It came down to missed free throws and turnovers, and we missed a lot of layups, too,” Saunders shrugged afterward. “If you had seen our pre-game board, I wrote down the keys to victory, and they were hit your foul shots, keep the turnovers down and hit your layups. We didn’t do it, and we also got beaten on the boards.

“That was probably our worst half of the season,” he added of the final session. “We couldn’t hit a shot midway through, and some of it had to do with their defense. They were the second-ranked team in the state, and in D-I, they were right there.”

He hesitated, then admitted, “It just blows my mind that this group didn’t win any state titles. We got there, but we just didn’t win. It would’ve been nice if we had.”

For complete story, photos and stats see Monday's print edition of The Times.

KINGSTON – Fred Saunders knows that he’s been in a fortunate position. For the past two seasons, the St. Raphael head coach has been able to put the same three girls in his Saints’ starting lineup.

KINGSTON – Fred Saunders knows that he’s been in a fortunate position. For the past two seasons, the St. Raphael head coach has been able to put the same three girls in his Saints’ starting lineup.

Seniors Danyel Gonzalez, Seun Shittu and Kaylee Oliver form a unit that plays instinctually, with anticipation of each other’s movement, making for beautiful basketball music. They have also proven to be outstanding leaders and teammates.

“Those girls have been the glue to our team the lasts several years and have helped restore the pride back in St. Raphael girls’ basketball,” said Saunders. “As a coach, I’m really indebted.”

The basketball bond shared by the trio has goes back to seventh grade. That’s how long Gonzalez, Shittu and Oliver have played on the same AAU team, Team Athletics Providence, coached by Gonzalez’s father, former Shea High basketball standout Walter “Bunky” Gonzalez. During their time as SRA teammates, their rapport has only grown stronger.

Their long history together partly explains how the Saints have been one of the premier interscholastic outfits the last few winters. They’ve won two straight regular-season division titles – going a combined 33-1 – and are making a second consecutive trip to URI’s Ryan Center. Saturday they’ll play against open state tournament opponent Bay View.

The Pawtucket-based Catholic school should probably send a thank-you note to Team Athletics Providence for providing Gonzalez, Shittu and Oliver with the head start on their mini-dynasty.

“Since we had a lot of AAU experience, we thought it would carry over and make our chemistry even better. Ever since then, we’ve been straight,” said Danyel Gonzalez on Friday morning as she stood with her two cohorts, after a reception for the boys and girls’ Final Four entries at the Ryan Center.

“Having the girls play together all spring and summer has really helped their synergy,” said Saunders. “They’ve known each other. The only thing that I’ve tried to do is enhance their overall ability and help them grow as individuals.”

As ninth graders, Gonzalez and Shittu swung between the Saints’ varsity and junior-varsity programs. The troika was completed when Oliver matriculated as a sophomore to St. Raphael, transferring from Swansea’s Case High. Oliver was a natural fit with two of her AAU buddies around to show her the ropes.

“It wasn’t that difficult of a transition because we have played together for so long,” said Oliver.

The girls form a three-guard rotation with strengths that complement one another beautifully: Gonzalez as the unflappable ball-handler and floor general, Oliver the deadly sharpshooter and Shittu the 1-on-1 threat who also draws the toughest defensive assignment.

“Danyel is truly one of the best point guards that we’ve coached,” said Saunders. “Her ability to convey to her teammates what needs to be done and understand how the game is flowing, I give her a lot of leeway out there. I’ve developed a lot of trust in her,” said Saunders.

When Shittu was mentioned, Saunders offered, “We have her doing a lot of things, whether it’s rebounding or attacking in the open court with her quickness. She’s worked hard this year on improving her finishing moves around the rim. As our best defensive player, she’ll draw the opposing team’s top offensive threat.”

Saunders lauded Oliver as “one of the best shooters in the state” after watching her sink five three-pointers during a recent state tournament game. The Saints do run a couple plays designed specifically to free up Oliver, yet she’s more than capable of finding her sweet spot, which if you’ve watched her play is not just a designated area.

“She can hit from anywhere. The thing about Kaylee is that we’ve got to tell her shoot. We want her to shoot more,” said Saunders. “She’s an unselfish player who has a lot of ability.”

It was Shittu who perfectly captured why the trio is able to work so well together.

“Kaylee is the shooter, so I know when I’m driving, I can just kick the ball out to her. If that’s not there, I know I can go back to Danyel and she sets it up all over again,” Shittu explained. “I think it’s good that we each have different aspects that we bring to the table. It makes us a stronger team rather than a group of individuals.”

Saunders knew he made the right choice of appointing Gonzalez, Shittu and Oliver as captains when sophomore transfer Kasey Gagan became eligible after sitting out the first nine league games. On a team loaded with juniors and seniors, Gagan was welcomed in by the team leaders, who understood that Gagan had the ability to help right away and that’s all that mattered.

“Kasey is very young and had to learn our system. Knowing that they wanted to get to a certain point, the girls had a lot of patience with her,” said Saunders. “We’re not going to be able to replace these three seniors. They’ve meant way too much to the program the last couple years and much more so than just wins and losses. The way they act in school, they’ve become great student-athletes and terrific role models.”

When the subject turned to their favorite hardwood moment, Gonzalez, Shittu and Oliver bubbled with excitement when mentioning the Massachusetts’AAU Under- 15 qualifying tournament that they won as sophomores two years ago. Team Providence Athletics won five games in five days to earn a berth in the nationals.

“We got rings and everything,” said Gonzalez.

On Saturday, they and the rest of the Saints have a chance to author another successful chapter with a spot in the state finals on the line. Regardless of what happens, this weekend will mark the final time that Gonzalez, Shittu and Oliver play together in a competitive setting.

“Maybe after Saturday, but not yet,” said Oliver when asked if it’s dawned upon her or Gonzalez and Shittu that their seven-year window as running mates is about to draw to a close.

“I’m praying that we get two more games. These kids deserve to win a state title,” said Saunders. “What they’ve done for the school and for Division II basketball has just been amazing.”

NEW YORK – Under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, Providence put the college basketball world on notice Thursday that they are not a team to look past, suffocating St. John’s with defense on their way to a 74-57 win in the quarterfinal round of the Big East Tournament.

NEW YORK – Under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, Providence put the college basketball world on notice Thursday that they are not a team to look past, suffocating St. John’s with defense on their way to a 74-57 win in the quarterfinal round of the Big East Tournament.

The Friars were the higher seeded team coming in, but the Red Storm defeated them twice during the regular season – winning one game by 13 points, the other by nine. In each game, St. John’s got off to a strong start and put the Friars away early.

For a moment, Thursday’s game looked like it might follow a similar script, as the Red Storm got out to a 7-0 start.

But that quickly became a footnote thanks to a 30-6 surge by the Friars. St. John’s hit its first three shots of the game, then proceeded to miss 15 straight. They shot just 26 percent from the field in the first half, and 31 percent for the game.

The win sets up a Friday night semifinal-round matchup with No. 1 seed Villanova, another team that won both encounters against Providence.

“We know we’re playing a juggernaut. I’m sure no one in this (media) room is giving us a chance,” said Friar coach Ed Cooley. “We’ve been in this position before.”

LaDontae Henton, Kris Dunn and the Friars made a statement with their attention to detail on the defensive end. Other than Rysheed Jordan, with 18 points off the bench, St. John’s offense never got untracked. None of the starters eclipsed double figures in points and the team managed just one three-pointer in a first half that saw them go nearly 10 minutes without a field goal. D’Angelo Harrison, one of three 2,000-point scorers in St. John’s history, finished with just seven points on 3-for-15 shooting.

“For the most part, after that 7-0 lead we had, the run they went on, we never really were in contention,” Red Storm coach Steve Lavin said.

Cooley confirmed that the Friars had one of the season’s better defensive performances.

“I thought our defense controlled the game, not so much our offense,” said Cooley after the Friars solidified their NCAA Tournament prospects with win No. 22. “I think any time you play against a transition team, you want to try to get them to play against a set defense. It’s really hard to score against a set defense.”

The Friars took advantage of their own transition opportunities, with point guard Dunn looking to get everyone involved. Four PC players registered double-doubles with Henton leading the charge with 20 points and 12 rebounds. Dunn further validated his Co-Big East Player of the Year selection with 17 points and 11 assists, while freshman Ben Bentil came up big with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

“LaDontae is a junkyard dog and Kris is a maestro. When you got two guys like this, they’re able to get you over the hump,” said Cooley.

Tyler Harris added 15 points off the bench for PC, which collected 18 offensive rebounds and owned the backboards, 49-36.

“We’re disappointed with our performance because we didn’t feel that we brought the aggressiveness,” said Lavin. “I thought we were tentative and hesitant. Providence really beat us to the punch.”

The Friars were able to weather a pair of instances of their starters getting in foul trouble. Dunn sat for nearly six minutes in the first half after his second personal at 6:34. When he left, the Friars were up 30-13. PC was still in control when he returned for the final possession of the first half as the 40-27 advantage wound up being the score at halftime.

“We started with a good groove and everyone had their feet underneath them. (Freshman) Kyron (Cartwright) came in and did an unbelievable job leading the team,” said Dunn about his brief absence. “Coach Cooley talked about coming out with a sense of urgency and that’s what we did.”

CUMBERLAND — Abdullah Kaba was getting nervous. The Cumberland High senior had repeatedly emailed the UMass Lowell cross country and track & field head coach to stoke the recruiting fires, but had no luck in receiving a reply back.

Turns out a simple typographical error was preventing Kaba from properly connecting with River Hawks mentor Gary Gardner.

CUMBERLAND — Abdullah Kaba was getting nervous. The Cumberland High senior had repeatedly emailed the UMass Lowell cross country and track & field head coach to stoke the recruiting fires, but had no luck in receiving a reply back.

Turns out a simple typographical error was preventing Kaba from properly connecting with River Hawks mentor Gary Gardner.

“I was actually missing an underscore in his email address so he was never getting them,” Kaba explained. “A kid who had similar running times as me, and was getting recruited by them, told me to go to Boston University for a mini meet. I ran the mile and the coach was there. I talked to him and that’s when he told me I had the wrong email.”

There was no need to underscore the importance of correct electronic addresses once Gardner began perusing Kaba’s times. The relationship blossomed in no time and was officially culminated late last week when Kaba verbally committed to the River Hawks. He expects to sign his letter of intent once all the particulars to his scholarship/financial aid package are ironed out.

“I was stressing out because I wanted to know where I was going to end up,” said Kaba when reached Tuesday night. “The coach was really glad when I called and told him that I was going to commit. I’m so pumped.”

“He should fit in pretty well there,” said Cumberland cross country and track coach Tom Kenwood.

A few weeks ago, Kaba went on a 48-hour tour of the America East-affiliated school and crossed paths with two current Lowell runners with Rhode Island ties, Bobby Allen (Cranston West) and Bishop Hendricken graduate Connor Doyle, son of the late R.I. marathon champion Bobby Doyle. Getting up-close with how Gardner and his coaches treated their runners helped sway the Clippers’ long-distance specialist in the River Hawks’ direction. Rhode Island and New Hampshire were additional schools that Kaba considered.

Though it wasn’t a deal-breaker, Kabba said that he was interested in heading to a school that had Air Force ROTC, a program featured at UMass Lowell

“I wanted to head to someplace that had a good running program and where I would have the best opportunity post-high school. School was obviously a huge part of that, too,” said Kabba.

A four-year runner for the Clippers, Kaba said that he was 5-foot-1 when he first joined Kenwood’s stable of strong harriers. Today, he’s approaching 6-1.

Kaba’s entire senior season has been an ode to success. He finished a respectable 18th at cross country states last November after placing 60th in the same exact race as a junior – he wound up shaving a minute-plus off his 2013 time. The indoor track season saw Kaba capture the one mile at the Class A meet and place fourth in the same distance event at the indoor state meet.

“Between cross country and indoor track, he’s had a very good year,” said Kenwood.

CUMBERLAND – It's more than fair to say Cumberland High varsity head coach Dr. Mark Andreozzi never anticipated the kind of dream season his Clippers have enjoyed.

Because his icemen captured the R.I. Division II Tournament championship a year ago with a near-perfect 22-1-0 overall record (against league opponents), Rhode Island Interscholastic League officials chose to bump his program up to Division I/Eccleston.

There they'd be forced to take on the best public school squads in the state, and Andreozzi knew it would be a big, difficult leap.

CUMBERLAND – It's more than fair to say Cumberland High varsity head coach Dr. Mark Andreozzi never anticipated the kind of dream season his Clippers have enjoyed.

Because his icemen captured the R.I. Division II Tournament championship a year ago with a near-perfect 22-1-0 overall record (against league opponents), Rhode Island Interscholastic League officials chose to bump his program up to Division I/Eccleston.

There they'd be forced to take on the best public school squads in the state, and Andreozzi knew it would be a big, difficult leap.

His bunch, however, rolled through its league campaign with an amazing 17-1-0 mark, the lone hiccup a 3-1 loss at Burrillville on Feb. 28. It happened to be the penultimate game on the CHS slate (it closed the season with a 2-1 make-up triumph over Coventry on Friday night).

Due to Cumberland's success this winter, it not only finished first in D-I/Eccleston, but also drew a first-round bye. The Clippers now must wait before facing the victor of the quarterfinal set between fourth-seeded North Kingstown and fifth-ranked Coventry in a best-of-three semifinal series beginning Friday, March 20.

“What's surprised me most? Everything,” Andreozzi admitted Monday afternoon. “Coming into the season, our goal was only to be competitive in D-I and make the playoffs. We never thought we'd have the record we ended up with. That's probably what leads the way in the 'surprise' category.

“It's not that you don't think your team is good; of course you do, but to have that kind of success? No,” he continued. “With the quality of teams in Division I, there are very few blowouts. All the scores are close. You might have a few (multi-goal victories) here and there, but those don't happen often.

“Our (initial) focus was that we had to come out and compete and work day-in and day-out because the teams are that good. The final record was never something we thought about, even in the end.”

To exhibit Cumberland's dominance: In 22 overall tilts, it mustered a record of 19-3-0 (17-1-0 league), and outscored those foes, 73-32, or by an average of 3.32-1.45 goals per contest.

And before the Clippers dropped that 3-1 affair to the Broncos last week, it had claimed the previous three against them. The only other team to truly battle the league champs in league action was Coventry, which suffered three defeats, all by one tally.

“That loss to Burrillville, they just beat us fair and square; that's the bottom line,” Andreozzi noted. “We had won 16 in a row, and – if you go back to last season – 34 straight (regular-season contests). But they outplayed us, and they wanted it more. There's no way to sugar-coat it.

“I'm a big believer in you learn more from your failures than your victories,” he added. “Hopefully, we learned some things in that one, and that they now move forward and more than adequately prepare for the upcoming playoffs.”

The key to CHS' collective brilliance this season, besides the points notched by the individuals listed above, has been a superb team defensive effort. Thanks to the excellent play of seniors McKenna, Zachary Kay and Tom Malloy, sophomore Andrew Rzemien and junior Derek Bross, senior netminder Leo Lake allowed only 15 goals in 18 tilts (777 minutes) while earning 365 saves.

That's good for a phenomenal 0.83 goals-against average.

But those defensemen's service didn't wane when junior Justice Belmont was between the pipes. In five contests, he yielded just two tallies and made 14 saves. That gave him a 0.40 GAA.

“I don't want to brag about my team; I just won't do it, but they have worked hard,” he mentioned. “Sometimes, they don't listen as well as they should, or as I hoped they would; there are times they don't carry out our game plan, the ones my staff and I give them, but – overall – it's been good.

“They have to know that if they want it badly enough, they can do anything, but it's not going to be easy,” he continued. “This season, I hope, has taught the players that. There are no easy games, and you can't take anything for granted. If you want it badly enough, you'll get through the semifinals, but on the other side is another team waiting for you in the finals, and they want it, too.”

Andreozzi never claimed to be a mentor satisfied with a stellar campaign. In fact, he indicated he's already forgotten this fine regular season.

“To me, we're 0-0; it may be a cliché, but this is another season, a second season,” he said. “What we did yesterday or two or three months ago means absolutely nothing. As a coach, I don't look at how many consecutive wins we had or the fact we were state champions last year. I don't look at anything but the next day at practice, or the next game on our schedule.

“We're 0-0, and it's a whole new ball game,” he added. “They can look at it and say, 'Hey, we were great this year!' but it still means nothing. Who cares? I don't. I try to tell the kids they need to practice hard and play those the way they want to play in a game. They have to try to get better than they were the day before.